Formaldehyde is used as a disinfectant and
conserving agent as well as an auxiliary
material in textile and pulp and paper industry.
Formaldehyde also is the starting material for
many types of very common resins and
polymers (resins with urea, melamine, phenol;
polyoxymethylene; and many more) as well as
for a variety of other products in chemical
industry.

Production Process:
Formaldehyde is industrially produced from
methanol via catalytic high temperature
processes. Methanol is passed through the
reactor, where formaldehyde is formed at low
concentration mixed with water. Subsequently,
water and some of the residual methanol are
removed in a stripper.

The determination of the concentrations of
methanol and formaldehyde in the product and
during the process is crucial for process and
quality control.